Relief For Differently-Abled Citizens As Chennai Installs Permanent Ramp At Marina Beach

A wooden permanent ramp has been installed at Chennai's Marina Beach and will begin functioning today onwards after the state chief minister M K Stalin inaugurates it at 4 pm. The Greater Chennai Corporation decided to install the ramp to help differently-abled citizens enjoy the scenic view that Marina Beach offers.

The ramp is India's first permanent ramp for persons with disability and is first of the many more ramps that will be installed at several locations across the city.

Permanent Ramp: Big Game Changer

The wooden permanent ramp is a big game changer for the physically challenged citizens as they can now enjoy the waves and the sea breeze from the shore, reports Hindustan Times.

The first photo was from November 2016 where the physically challenged could take their wheelchairs quite a distance from Marina Beach; and now with the Beach pathway, they can go very close to the beach! Result of a great campaign by @DisabilityIndia! #DisabilityRights pic.twitter.com/Geh2CH9Lt8

— Ananth Rupanagudi (@Ananth_IRAS) November 27, 2022

The ramp is 235 metres in length and 3.4 metres in width. Built at a cost of ₹1.5 crores, it stands opposite the Vivekananda Illam at Marina, providing easy access to the citizens. Moreover, to help the senior citizens and the differently-abled who will be using the ramp, handrails have been placed for support.

An official, while speaking with The Hindu, said, "This is India's first permanent ramp for persons with disabilities on a beach. It is built with three types of wood: babool, red meranti and Brazilian wood. Openings have been provided at every 10 metres to enable passage for walkers on the beach sands. The viewing point is almost 10 metres away from the sea."

'Benefits Will Be Reaped By All'

Several activists had been demanding a ramp at Marina beach for more than a decade, and several protests were organised for the same. One such activist is Deepak Nathan, who is the state president of the December 3 movement which works for the rights of the disabled.

Nathan said, "In addition to the disabled persons, benefits will be reaped by many other persons, including senior citizens. We have seen social media posts about how people have started to enjoy the facility. This project for inclusion should be a great lesson for all of us as it includes and serves a large number of senior citizens too."

Several people on social media have been talking about the installation of the ramp and are welcoming the move. While several said it's a "nice initiative", another user named Aja wrote, "It's a great move by the government to bring an open-air relaxation for senior citizens and people suffering from other types of infirmities."

Another user on Facebook, named Lakshmy Ramakrishnan, wrote about the time she had attended an event at the beach where a temporary ramp was built for the differently-abled till the beach. "It was so touching to see their happiness when their feet were kissed by the waves", she wrote.

However, netizens are also concerned about the utility of the bridge not being limited to differently-abled. A user named Sam wrote on Facebook, "Great initiative. But I hope the authorities will have a system in place to keep those not differently-abled off the ramp."

Also Read: Election Commission Launches App For People With Disabilities